FEI's Annual Network Trip to NYC 2012

While many students spent the holidays at home, a certain group of CMC students learned what it takes to succeed in New York's highly competitive finance industry by honing their networking skills.
The Financial Economics Institute (FEI) and the Robert Day School of Economics and Finance sponsor the annual New York City Networking Trip, now in its ninth year. The trip has been primarily student-led for the past two years. A group of four CMC seniors led the organization of this year's trip, including conducting outreach to firms, planning various company visits and helping the group prepare for the experience through mock interviews and resum? editing.
The group met with senior-level executives and CMC alumni at nine companies, including Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Deutsche Bank and Atalaya Capital Management, a hedge fund founded by CMC alumnus Ivan Zinn.
Participating companies provided the visiting CMC students with a presentation about the company, a Q&A session, a young employee panel to discuss early career roles in the financial industry, a facilities tour and targeted presentations from recruiters highlighting what it takes to stand out as students entering the job market.
Brian Dennis, who created the New York Networking trip and participated as a chaperone this year, says that while the trip is intended to help students make important career contacts, it is also about expanding their horizons.
"It is important to me that CMC students learn that their options are not investment banking or bust," Dennis explained. "There are a lot of opportunities out there. You can work in a consulting firm, risk management firm, or work at a sales and trading desk at an investment bank. There are many different paths to take."
The students on the trip also had an opportunity to network with alumni during a reception and dinner following the FEI Board meeting on January 9th and during a NYC alumni association reception at The Yale Club on January 10th.
CMC's Assistant Director of Career Services & Employer Relations, Marisa Walter, joined the trip for the first time this year and was thoroughly impressed by the experience. She said she found the trip informative not only in its exploration of the financial field, but also as a snapshot of the New York finance professional's lifestyle.
"Being in New York, taking the subway, dressing in suits, rushing down the street along with professionals to visit banks on Wall Street was a great taste of New York's culture that is a bit different from L.A.," she explained. "This trip is different from what students have seen from info sessions on campus."